The Gurus At Saptak

A founder Trustee of Saptak, Smt. Rupande Shah hails from a family which has contributed to the development of cultural and music institutions in the city of Ahmedabad. Her father late Shri Kantilal Manilal was a great connoisseur of music. From her childhood, she was initiated in various performing arts, viz. music, dance and drama. Her music study started at home at a very early age under Shri Raosaheb Mhasker of Gwalior Gharana.

She started her dance training at Darpana at the age of 8 under the guidance of Smt. Mrinalini Sarabhai and Shri Chatunni Panicker. At Darpana she got intensive training in Bharatnatyam, Kathakali and Kuchipudi for more than 10 years. She received the first prize in classical dance at the All India Inter-University Youth Festival at Delhi in '58. She was the first student of Darpana to perform the Arangetram in the year 1960 at the age of 20.

She has travelled widely all over India and through out the World with Darpana as one of the lead dancers. She performed in famous ballets, like Tasherdesh, Bhanusinher Padavali, Geet Govind, Kurvanchi etc. She also performed solo at various places in India. She received critical acclaim for her performances.

At Darpana she also participated in the Gujarati theatre. She acted in several plays and performed lead role in Shilapadikaram, Navalsha Hirjee, Nishkruti etc. Her performances received rave reviews. She received the Best Actress Award of the Sangeet Natak Academy in the year 1975/76. She also appeared in various TV drama serials during that period.

In 1963 she accompanied Smt. Mrinalini Sarabhai to visit the Institute Of Advanced Studies In Theatre Arts in New York as an Assistant Director to her for staging the Sanskrit Play, Swapna Vasavdatta with an all American cast. At Darpana she also imparted training to young students in Bharatnatyam and Kathakali for several years.

Even when she was focussed mainly on dancing she continues her training with Shri Rasosaheb Mhasker. She devoted herself to Rabindra Sangeet and Gazal singing under Shri Surendra Jaitley and was a performing member of the Geetali Group. After that she pursued her training very seriously in Classical Music. Ustad Gulam Kadir Khan, Pandit Maniramji and Ustad Gulam Ahmed Khan imparted her intensive training. Finally Pandit Rajan Mishra guided her in the Banaras Gharana style, helped her to expand her repertoire and initiated her in the finer points of concert performance. She has developed her style of singing in which Gwalior Gharana, Agra Gharana, Mewati Gharana and Banaras Gharana are seen and reflected.

She is a regular A grade AIR and TV Artist. She has given performances in major cities of India and has given recital in the most prestigious of Akashwani concerts viz., Tuesday night concert, Saturday National Programme of music, twice and Diwali Sangeet Sammelan three times. She has been awarded the prestigious Gaurav Puraskar by Gujarat State Sangeet Natak Academy.

She is one of the Founder Trustees of Saptak Public Charitable Trust which is dedicated to the cause of classical music. Apart from being associated with the day to day administration of the activities of the Trust she also oversees the vocal department at the Saptak School of Music

Some details of public concerts '

Gujarat'Omkarnath Sangeet Samaroh and Baiju Sangeet Samaroh in almost all over Gujarat for the last more than 20 years. Also performed in

Mumbai'NCPA, Shivranjini, Sajan-Milap and other music circles.

M.P.' Bhopal - Baba Allauddin Khan Academy, Gwalior - Tansen Sangeet Samaroh

U.P.'In Varanasi - GRITMA,In Meerut For Sankalp

New Delhi'Gunudas Sangeet Samaroh Smt Siddheshwari Devi Academy,Dagar Smriti Samaroh and Other music circles.

Rajasthan'In Jaipur - 'Shruti Mandal & Pt. Manmohan Bhatt Smriti Sangeet Samaroh And Sankalp., In Udaipur Maharana Kumbha Sangeet Samaroh

Born into a family of rich musical tradition, Ustad Shaukat Hussain's initiation into the world of music began at the age of five, under the tutelage of his father the legendary Late Ustad Sharafat Hussain Khan ' the doyen of the Agra-Atrauli gharana. Ustad Shaukat Hussain's prodigious talent blossomed. Later after his father's demise, he received guidance from his maternal uncles Ustad Yunus Hussain Khan and Ustad Mubarak Ali Khan. He continues to take guidance from Smt Pumima Sen, a disciple of Ustad Sharafat Hussain Khan.

Ustad Shaukat Hussain Khan has emerged as one of the leading exponents of the Agra atrauli Gharana. Blessed with a mellifluous voice ranging over three octaves, his rendition displays a perfect command over bol-baat, bol-taan and laykaari- that are distinctive features of his gharana.

A versatile artiste, Ustad Shaukat Hussain can sing khayal, drupad, dhamar, thumri, tappa and bhajans with consummate ease. His repertoire of ragas include Patmanjari, Barwa, Dhadashree, Malti Basant, Malva Kalyan, Hem Kalyan, Ram Saag, Lacha Saag, Dev Saag, Bhaou Saag etc. A performer of exceptional merit, Ustad Shaukat Hussain has been invited to participate in various He was awarded the prestigious 'Gaurav Puraskar' by the Gujarat State Sangeet Natak Academy and is also an 'A' grade artiste in All India Radio

He is currently the divisional head for vocal music at the Saptak school of music, and provides invaluable guidance for young, aspiring singers.

Name ' Prakash Mohanlal Shah

Address ' 14/10, Tulsishyam Soc.,Bhimjipura, New wadaj,Ahmedabad-13.

(M)- 9825611677

Birth date ' 5-12-1950

Education 'Ph.D. in music(VOCAL)Gold medalist Shiksha Visharad.

Experience '

• 25 years in Gandharava Mahavidhyalaya in Ahmedabad as a Music tutor.
• As a music tutor in SAPTAK School of music since 2002.
• As a visiting faculty in Tapovan (Gandhinagar)
• As a composer in Prachya Mandal since 1994.
• As a visiting faculty in J.G. College of performing arts.

Achievements 'B. hi. Grade in Akashvani, Live performances in various Cities of India i.e. Chennai,Godhara, Patan, Ujjain,Junagadh and Ahmedabad.

Vidushi Smt. Manju Mehta is one of leading sitarists in India today. She hails from a reputed family of Jaipur known for its musical lineage. She received her initial training from her elder brother Pt. Shashimohan Bhatt, a noted sitarist. Her early virtuoso performances earned her the Central and State Government scholarships and help her pursue her training under Shri Damodarlal Kabra and completing her Masters in Music with top honours. Her prodigious talent came to light when she won the prize in AIR Talent Search Competition.

Since 1980, Smt Manjuben has been receiving guidance from the sitar maestro Bharat Ratna Pt. Ravishankar. It was a rare privilege and honour for Smt Manjuben when her sitar recital was included in an album released to mark Panditji's 80th birthday. A top grade artiste of Doordarshan and AIR, Smt. Manjuben has performed several times for All India Radio's National Programme of music and the Akashwani Diwali Sangeet Sammelan broadcast.

Smt Manjuben has performed in music festivals in India and concerts abroad and is rated as a performer of the highest caliber. Spontaneous creativity, rhythmic control, exquisite balance and proportion flows naturally through the strains of her sitar. One of the founder trustees of the Saptak School of Music, she devotes considerable time on the promotion of Indian Classical Music. Smt. Manjuben is a teacher par excellence and has been mentoring aspiring sitarists in Ahmedabad for the last 35 years.

A recipient of several top honours and awards, Smt. Manjuben has received the special Pt.Omkarnath Award by Gujarat Government and the prestigious Guarav Puraskar by the Sangeet Natak Academy of Gujarat. Some of the other prestigious awards include ' The Sangeet Kala Ratna and Sangeet Martand Samman by the Akhil Bhartiya Dhrupad-Naad-Ninaad Virast Samaroh-Jaipur, Sangeet Kala Gaurav Puraskar by the Sangeet Kala Kendra, Agra, and the very prestigious Marwar Sangeet Ratna Award presented by Maharaja Gajsingh of Jodhpur.

Born in 1938 at Mumbai, Smt. Bharati Parikh hails from a noble and cultured family, which has made immense contributions in the sphere of education and religious activities in the society.

Smt Bharatiben started pursuing her interests in music and dance from a very young age. This passion for music was to be the basis of her involvement with Saptak and she continues to take an active interest its activities and programmes.

Smt Bharati Parikh is also associated with several other organisations. She joined Ahmedabad North Junior Chamber and was a chartered member of Inner Will Club of Ahmedabad South and became its office bearer at the district level.

Keenly interested in social service and service to humanity, a trait that she inherited from her father, Bharatiben is associated with Gujarat Sarvar Mandal ' an institution, which helps poor and needy patients.

For over 35 years Smt Bharati Parikh has been actively associated with Ahmedabad Cancer Society and has offered her services in various avenues in the institution. At present she is a Treasurer in the executive committee.

Pratima Anandjiwala has been learning the sitar since the age of 17 from Smt.Manju Mehta. In the year 1985, she won the first prize in the prestigious Gujarat State organised Pt.Omkarnath Music Competition.

Pratima performs regularly on the All India Radio as a B 'high' grade artist and also occasionally on the television. She has also performed at the Saptak Annual Festival and is at present on the faculty of Saptak School of Music.

Amita Dalal started learning the sitar from the age of eighteen from her guru, Smt. Manju Mehta, a disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar.

A gift sitarist, Amita toured Japan in 1978, under a student exchange programme and performed in the Osaka & the Syongunyama festival. In 1980, upon winning a prestigious music competition she was selected by the state government to represent India for performing in the cultural events in the Olympic games in Moscow where 84 countries from all over the world had participated.

Amita performs regularly on the All India radio under the B-high graded artist category and was also the winner of the state cultural awards 'The Navdeep Pratishthan' awards in 1994. She is attached to the Saptak School of music and has performed in 1994, 1996, and 1997 in the annual Saptak music festival. She has also performed in other cities of India such as New Delhi, Bangalore, Bombay, Baroda etc.

Born into a family of musicians, Poorvi Mehta has inherited her talent for music from her parents. She began to take lessons from her mother Smt. Manju Mehta, a celebrated Sitarist, from a very young age. With sheer perseverance, Poorvi Mehta has matured into a very fine Sitarist and is now recognised as a 'A' Grade Sitarist of All India Radio & Doordarshan.

Her virtuoso performances and concerts include the National programme of music of AIR, the Tuesday night concert, Baiju Sangeet Samaroh and the prestigious Pt. Omkarnath Thakur Samaroh organised by Gujarat State Sangeet Natak Academy. She also has performed at various concerts across India.

At present, Poorvi is associated with the Saptak School of Music as a faculty member. When not engrossed in music, it is English Literature that interests her and Poorvi has completed her M. Phil in the subject from the Gujarat University.

Born into a family very well known for its cultural heritage in Ahmedabad, Bijal Shah started his initial training in the flute very early in his school days at the Mayo College in Ajmer, India. Simultaneously, he continued to pursue his training vigorously under the tutelage of Smt. Manju Mehta.

A recipient of the second prize in the state level Pt.Omkarnath Thakur Competition Bijal has been a regular performer on the All India Radio and Television since the last 15 years and is registered as a B-high graded artist. He has also been recognized by the Government of Gujarat.

He has also had the opportunity to perform in various Saptak concerts as well as other music concerts in the country. Presently, besides performing, he is a faculty member at the Saptak School, where he teaches the flute. Graduating in Mathematics from St.Xavier's College, Ahmedabad, Bijal works professionally in a consultancy business owned by his family.

Late Shri Nandan Mehta held a special place in the cultural landscape of Ahmedabad and continues to inspire a new generation of performers. Trained under Padma Vibhushan Pt. Kishan Maharaj, Shri Nandan Mehta was an outstanding tabla exponent of the Banaras Baaj. Apart from being a noted performer and a guru, he was respected as an institution builder who helped promote our rich musical heritage.

He was honoured by Pt.Jasraj twice (1997 and 2002) on behalf of Mewati Gharana and was conferred the title 'Tal Rasik Var'. "Sankalp" central body at Kurukshetra conferred the title of 'Sangeet Rushi' in the year 1996. Kumar Club Shastriya Group Ahmedabad has also honoured him for rendering outstanding services in the field of classical music. He has been awarded the prestigious 'Gaurav Puraskar' by the Gujarat Sangeet Natak Academy for his outstanding contribution in the field of music in the year 1988. He has also been honoured on 'Vishwa Rang - Bhoomi day' for his contribution in the field of music in Vadodara, and by the Medical Association in Ahmedabad. Swar Sadhana Samiti, Mumbai, has awarded him 'Swar Sadhana Ratna' in the year 2004. He has also been honoured by 'Kala Gurjari' Bhavnagar, Sangeet Kala Niketan, Jaipur. He has also honoured by Madhuvan, Bhopal for his contribution in the field of music in the year 2005 and was conferred the title 'Shreshth kala Acharya'. Dr.H.L.Trivedi, Director, Kidney Institute has also honoured him for rendering outstanding services in the field of Classical music and conferred the title "Bhagwan Mahavir Karuna Sewa Sanman" in 2007. Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi conferred the "Sangeet Natak Akademi Award" for the year 2007. He was awarded "Sangeet Ratna Chudamani" by Divya Jivan Sangh Shivanand Ashram Ahmedabad in 2008 by Hon.Shri Naval Kishore Sharma, Governor of Gujarat.

He is the founder of Saptak School of Music along with a few musicians and connoisseurs. The school has followed a distinctive tradition of training through Guru-shishya parampara. At the same time it has managed to take a large batch of students through innovative classroom practices. The school has various departments viz. Vocal, instrumental and percussion. The students of the school have blossomed into budding performing artists. The sincerity with which 'Vidyadan' is organized is reflected in the comments made by a person like Pt.Kishan Maharaj. On several occasions he has remarked that the authentic Banaras Baaj is played more in Ahmedabad than any other place in India.

Hetal Mehta Joshi is the daughter of well known tabla player Pt. Nandan Mehta & sitarist Manju Mehta. Born into a family of eminent musicians, Hetal has learnt the Tabla from a very young age from her father Shri Nandan Mehta, senior most disciple of Padma Vibhushan Pt.Kishan Maharaj, the illustrious Tabla maestro of the Benaras Gharana from Gujarat. She has also had the opportunity of occasionally taking guidance from the legendary doyen of the Banaras Gharana Padma-Vibhushan Pt.Kishan Maharaj as well as his son Pt.Puran Maharaj. Having had the opportunity of minutely observing the various nuances of Tabla playing from various maestros performing at the prestigious Saptak annual festivals over the last 20 years, Hetal has developed a refined sense for the art of Tabla playing and has matured into a very fine soloist as well as accompanist. This is reflected in her very refined style of playing Banaras style of Tabla which is rich in Gat ' Fard, tukdas and punjabi or Lahori gats, which are the distinguishing features of Banaras Baaj.

She has performed at various concerts in major cities of India i.e All over Gujarat, Mumbai, Jaipur, Bhopal, Delhi, Gwalior, Kurukshetra, Kolkata, Pune etc..for reputed organisations of those cities. She has won the First Prize in All India Radio Music Competition held in 1998, and has won the Shri Vishwanath Dev Sharma Classical Music award competition ' 1998 and has given solo performance & accompaniments in New York in November 1999 for that organisation.

It was Padmavibhushan Pt.Kishan Maharaj's way of recognising her talent that he blessed her by asking her to be a co-accompanist in the Saptak concert of Sitar maestro Pt. Monilal Nag and Ms. Mita Nag. Such exposure has groomed her not just as an accomplished solo player but a recognised accompanist.

She has accompanied veterans like Padma Vibhushan Pandit Jasraj, Padmashree Ustad Sultan Khan, Padma Vibhushan Pt.Rajan Sajan Mishra, Padmashree Pt.Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and many other young upcoming artists of our country. She is an A grade artist of Akashwani and Doordarshan.

To add to this, Hetal is also a double graduate in English literature and B.ED from Gujarat University. Presently she is the trustee of Saptak School of Music, Ahmedabad where she also teaches Tabla to senior disciples. She is one of the faculty members (lecturer of tabla) at the Upasana School of Performing Arts, Gujarat University.

Born in a family with great respect and appreciation for music, Vinod Vaishnav started his formal training in Tabla at an age of 18. Since the very beginning, he took his training in Tabla under the able guidance of Pt. Nandan Mehta, a renowned and senior most disciple of Padma Vibhushan Pt. Kishan Maharaj of the Banaras Gharana. He was trained under the traditional Guru-Shishya Parampara. During the period of learning under Pt. Nandan Mehta, he also received guidance from Pt. Puran Maharaj, son of Pt. Kishan Maharaj, and Pt. Kishan Maharaj himself during their visits to Ahmedabad. The blessings of these Gurus have developed Vinod Vaishnav into a refined exponent of the Tabla in the pure Banaras Gharana style. He won the first prize in percussion segment at Pt. Omkarnath Competition organized by Gujarat Sangeet Natak Academy in 1985.

He has given performances in various cities across India including Mumbai, Delhi, Agra, Meerut, Jaipur, Indore, Bhopal, various cities of Gujarat etc. He has performed at major concerts including Maharshi Vishnu Digambar Sangeet Sammelan, Akashvani Sangeet Sammelan, Pt Omkarnath Festival, Baiju Sangeet Festival, Tana-Riri Sangeet Festival, Akashvani National Program of Music, Akashvani Tuesday Night Concert, etc. He has accompanied many famous artists including Padma Vibhushan Pt. Jasraj, Padma Bhushan Pt. Rajan-Sajan Mishra, Padma Bhushan Smt. N. Rajam, Padma Shri Pt. Vishwamohan Bhatt, Padma Shri Pt. Gokulotsavji Maharaj, Ustad Sultan Khan, Padma Shri Smt. Shubha Mudgal, Pt. Shashimohan Bhatt, Smt. Manju Mehta etc. Also, he is a regular artist at All India Radio and Doordarshan.

He has served as a judge in competitions organized by Gujarat State Sports and Cultural Activities Division. He has also been a member of the selection committee for Tabla at Music College, M. S. University, Baroda. He has been a faculty of percussion at Saptak School of Music, Ahmedabad since several years and has trained a large number of students over these years.

Rajal Shah's initiation into the world of Indian classical music began at the age of 8 when he started learning the tabla in Banaras gharana tradition under Pt. Nandan Mehta . Subsequently, he also trained under Pt.Pooran Maharaj.

Among his various accomplishments, Rajal won the first prize in the state level Pt.Omkarnath Thakur competition and has performed at various Saptak concerts as well as other music concerts in the country.

A B-high grade artist of Akashwani and Doordarshan, he performs regularly at All India Radio and Doordarshan. He has accompanied several maestros like Padma Vibhushan Pandit Jasraj, Padmashree Ustad Sultan Khan, Padma Vibhushan Pt.Rajan Sajan Mishra, Padmashree Pt.Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and many other young upcoming artists of our country.

Presently, besides performing, he is a faculty at Saptak School of Music in the department of Tabla.

Born on 7th December, 1960, Hemant Bhatt belongs to a very well-known musician family of Jaipur and had his initial learning in Pakhawaj from late Shri Sadashiv Rao, desciple of late Shri Govind Rao Burhanpurkar of Nana Saheb Panse Gharana. He had also received training from Shri Gokulotsavji Maharaj and Shri Vasant Raoji of Pune. He won prize in the state level Pt. Omkarnath Thakur music competition. He has accompanied to eminent Indian classical musicians at the annual Saptak Music festival and other concerts since the last 30 years, which in turn has helped him to further expand his art. He has also had the opportunity to perform in various Saptak concerts as well as other music concerts in the country.

He is a B-high grade artist of Akashwani and Doordarshan. He has given performances at All India Radio and Doordarshan. He has accompanied many senior artists in public performances at various locations in India.

He has accompanied veterans like Padma Vibhushan Pandit Jasraj, Padmashree Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Ustad Sayiduddin Dagar, Pt. Kartik Kumar, Smt Manju Mehta and many other young upcoming artists of our country.

Presently, besides performing he is a faculty at Saptak School of Music in the department of Pakhawaj.

Main Concerts

• Saptak Music Festival
• Pt. Baiju Sangeet Samaroh
• Pt Adityaram Sangeet Samaroh
• Pt Omkarnath Sangeet Samaroh
• Dhrupad Sansthan - Jaipur
• Sangeet Sankalp

Besides accompanying he has also distinguishably given Solo performances in many concerts.

Pravin Mahadev Shinde has had a long association with Saptak. He began to learn tabla under the guidance of his father, Shri Mahadev Ramchandra Shinde and later went on to be mentored by Shri Vinod Vaishnav, Shri Pooran Maharaj and Shri Nandan Mehta. As a student he went on to win the Pt.Omkarnath Music Competition organised by the Gujarat State Sangeet Natak Academy in both the Junior and Senior categories. An accomplished tabla player he has accompanied several leading artistes and musicians in various concerts across the country.

Since 1998, Pravin Shinde has been associated with the Saptak School of Music as a faculty member, initiating aspiring tabla players in the tradition of the 'Banares Baaj'